Electric switch



Sept. 17, 1935. w MAJOR 2,014,624

ELECTRIC SWTCH Filed `'June 22. 1934 lNvEN-ron ILUAM MAJOR Patented Sept. 17, 1935 2,014,624 ELECTRIC SWITCH William Major, Cicero, Ill., assignor to Oak Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 22, 1934, Serial No. 731,835

8 Claims. (Cl. 200-11) This invention relates to electric switches, particularly to those types useful for operating on a large number of circuits. For example, in radio receivers adapted to receive on a number` of dif- 5 ferent broadcast bands it is desirable that a number of circuits be simultaneously switched. De-

vices of this character must be simple, cheap, compact and maintain good contact at thc switch points. This is particularly important in radio l receivers on account of the minute potentials involved and the introduction of noise due to faulty contact surfaces. Because of the requirements of dilerent manufacturers, it is necessary at times to change the characteristics of a switch l and in order to do this with a minimum of cost, it is necessary that the parts be so designed that changes may be made without requiring a change in the tooling equipment necessary for quantity production of a switch.

An object of this invention is to devise a switch which will satisfy the above requirements and which will be mechanically simple and cheap to make.

Referring to the drawing, Figure l'is a plan view of the switch embodying this invention. Figure 2 is a sectional view on 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a detail view. Figure 4 shows a rotor blank and Figure 5 shows a completed rotor.

The switch comprises an insulating disc I of bakelite or similar rigid material, preferably of a circular contour.

Disposed at regular intervals around the periphery are a plurality of stationary contacts 2 and 3, rigidly maintained in place by rivets 5.

Contact 2, which is of one type, has an upstanding lug portion 6 perforated at I, into which a wire may be soldered. Contact 2 also has an upstanding portion 8 terminating in a spring portion 9 at right angles to upstanding portion 8, 40. from which depends a contact portion IO. Contact portion II) has its sides II suitably bent outwardly so that a generally convex surface is presented to the interior region.

Contact 3 is similarly provided with a lug I2, perforated at I3 for connection to a wire. Contact 3 also has an upstanding portion I5 provided With an overlying portion I6 terminating in a bent contact edge Il. It will be noted that the sides of contact edge I1 are rounded at I8 so that a smooth curved-surface is presented.

Carried in the center of disc I is a bushing 20 within which is mounted a. shaft ZI. The end of shaft 2I is milled at 22 so that a generally .rectangular shape' is secured.

55 An insulating rotor 25 of bakelite or the like out the end of shaft 22 over the rotor 25.

Disposed around the edge of rotor 25 are a plu- 5 rality of metallic contact segments 30, 3I and 32. While three segments are shown, it is evident that any number desired may be used, each of any angular extent. Each contact segment is rigidly fastened to rotor 25 by any suitable means lo such as rivets 34. It will be noted that the inner edge of each contact segment is provided with a plurality of slots 36, leaving inwardly extending tongues 31. If desired, certain of the tongues may be omitted to leave a gap 38, the purpose of l5 which will be apparent later.

The outer edge of each of the contact segments has a plurality of regularly spaced inwardly directed curved notches 40, disposed around the periphery thereof. 20

As is evident from Figure 2, stationary contact 2 of which any number may be provided, has its contact portion I 0 abutting the edge of the contact segments. Rotation of shaft 2|, causing rotor 25 to turn, will result in the contact seg- 25 ments being turned past the active contact face I0 of stationary contact 2.

By virtue of the cooperation of the curved slot and the curved shape of contact Ill it is clear that rotor 25 will tend to assume any one of a 30 number of stable positions. 'I'hus contact IU bearing against the rotory contact members not only provides a continuous contact which may be useful for grounding purposes or the like but also provides a step by step stop-action of the 35 switch.

The overhanging portion I6 of contact 3 extends over the contact segments and cooperates with the inwardly extending tongues 3'I of the segments.

It is clear that where gaps 38 occur, no contact with member 3 will result. In this manner, by properly selecting the number and position of contacts 2, 3 and gaps 38-as well as the angular extent of the rotory contact segments a large number of different switching combinations may be provided.

In order to provide suitable limits between which the switch may be operated, an aperture 4I is provided in rotor 25. A pin 42 is forced 50 in said aperture 4I. A series of apertures 43 is provided in stator I, said apertures being disposed in circular formation around the rotor axis and with radius equal to the distance of pin 42 from the rotor center. A pair of pins 44 may be dis- 55 posed in any two of said apertures 43 and function as stops for pin 42 in the rotor. Hence, by determining the location of pins I4, the extent of motion of the rotor may be simply and easily determined.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric switch comprising a stator having a plurality of fixed contacts mounted thereon in circular formation, a rotor disposed 4concentric with said xed contacts, said rotor comprising an insulating base, a plurality of tmetallic segments of general circular shape concentrically disposed on said base, said segments being coplanar and being separated from each other, and having inner and outer edges, one of said edges on said segments being serrated, certain of said xed contacts cooperating with said serrations to make contact therewith and to deiine a rotor position, others of said fixed contacts sliding over the sides of said segments to make contact therewith.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said segments have their outer edges serrated.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the nonserrated edges of said segments are provided with projections which projections are adapted to be contacted by the others of said fixed contacts.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein the segments have their outer edges serrated and the inner edges are provided with projections which are adapted to be contacted by the others of said fixed contacts.

5. An electric switch comprising a flat insulating disk having an aperture therethrough, a series of spring contacts carried by said disk equidistant from said aperture, 4a. shaft rotatively mounted in said aperture, a fiat insulating rotor disk carried by said shaft, a plurality of. flat segmental contact members disposed on their fiat side carried by said rotor, said members being disposed on the arc of a circle'concentric with said shaft and being separated and insulated from each other, one of the edges of all of said members having regularly spaced indentations, certain of said stator contacts having spring portions pressing against said indentations for simultaneously effecting contact and indexing, other of said stator tive action.

8. The switch of claim 5 wherein the outer rotor contact edge is indented and wherein the inner edge has tongues projecting inwardly toward the center in the plane of. the contacts at predetermined positions and for a predetermined extent, and wherein certain stator contacts have their active edges cooperating only with said tongues for obtaining a selective switch action.

' WILLIAM MAJOR.

.CERTIFICATE or Col'uuicrloN,l Parent. No. 2,014,621.-

WILLIAM MAJGR.

1t is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, second column, line 16, c'laim 6, for the reference claim number "13" read 5; and that the said- Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to' the record of the case in the Ptent Office.

Signed and sealed this 5th day of November, A. D. 1935.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

September 17, 1935.

-CERTIFICATE or connecting. Parent. No. 2,014,624..

WILLIAM MAJOR.

specification of the Page 2, second column, read 5; and that the' saidein that the same may lt is hereby certified that error appears in the printed above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: line 16, claim 6, for the reference claim number "13" Letters Patent should be read with this correction ther conform to' the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 5th day of November, A. D. 1935.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

September 17, 1935. 

